I was having a hard time finding a video from the Fathers and Sons Wall on Denali, and then I realized it was because the blog post I’d read (and subsequent video) was actually an ascent by Raphael Slawinski & Joshua Lavigne of ‘Common Knowledge’ (V, WI 6R) on the Washburn Face, across from Motorcycle Hill.

At any rate, it’s a good write up of their climb (here) and there is a nice photo of the Fathers and Sons Wall (here).

And I did find a couple of compete writeups from Alpine Journals by Ian Parnell (here) and a shorter writeup (here).

I’ve been without a lightweight rain shell for a while now. I had a zipper fail on a Sierra Designs’ Hurricane rain shell and I sent it back to them for replacement; unfortunately I had the replacement mailed to Z’s office and they sent me a women’s size medium in return; she brought it to Asia with her. In Alaska I wore my EMS Orion, which is warm and keeps me reasonably dry, but it’s much too heavy for Spring and Summer, though it’s proven to be a good cold weather shell.

In my search for a new lightweight shell the Patagonia Specter keeps popping up. As it turns out, Patagonia stopped making the Specter Pullover a couple of years ago. Their current offerings include some new higher price point alpine shells and the lower price point Torrentshell Pullover, but sadly they have yet to replicate the 6oz. Specter. The North Face sells the Triumph Anorak as part of their Summit Series which is quite similar and Marmot sells the Essence jacket, both in the sub 8oz. category. And I do really love the Houdini, but what we are talking about here is a waterproof shell that weighs marginally more than the 4oz. Houdini. The Houdini is an excellent wind shirt, but not a rain jacket, as was proven recently in the Delaware Water Gap during a downpour.

Kelly Cordes has a good in-depth post talking about waterproof breathable materials and shell construction. And a little searching will reveal users’ preferences on the Backpacking Light forums. I’m in no rush to get another jacket and as long as it’s 90 degrees outside I don’t care if I get wet.

This one is for GTO. I’ve been trying to nail down my system for Alaska, sadly the multicolored Wild Things Hooded Primaloft Vest is no longer in production. But I feel like it could make a comeback, in Japan.

Day 0: Arrive SFO. C and I drink some beers with E overlooking the city, go pickup M, drop off E, go to bed.

Day 1: Wake up, it’s sunny in West Berkeley, get an espresso at Cafe Trieste, hike 8 miles with M on Sea View and Quarry trails in Tilden Regional Park. Call GTO. Run with GTO and his roommate up Strawberry Canyon trail up to MSRI, sunset over the bay, dusky redwood single track. Roasted root vegetables.

Day 2: Wake up, sunny again, get an espresso at Trieste, M takes bus to the city. Run with GTO down past Berkeley Marina, past Golden Fields, out to the East Shore State Park with cool sculptures by the water, loop back via Cesar Chavez State Park. Dinner and drinks with E in the Mission. M doesn’t like Pirates, who does? He enjoys the ambiance of Latin American Club.

Day 3: Drive to Sugarloaf Ridge SP in Sonoma and hike for a few hours. Drive to Napa. Buy a boat, I dare you. Burgers & a bottle of Malbec at Gott’s Roadside. Ritual espresso from Oxbow Market & a nice hand pour over Costa Rican single origin for M.

Day 4: Hike up to the Eucalyptus grove over the dirt track on Dwight with R&M. Swung from the rope swing, hiked up then down from the insane house at the top overlooking Berkeley & the bay. Colin Farrell is Crocket, living the dream.

Day 5: Pt. Reyes National Park with friends. Nice 10 mile hike down to the cliffs and shore overlooking the lighthouse. Drove to Marshall, drank Lagunitas, ate oysters, watched sunset. Land of milk and honey.

Day 6: Run with GTO on a nice big loop up Dwight up and over back below Sea View in Tilden, down Quarry, and back around. About a two hour run. G Bombed down trails at the end onto the Berkeley dirt track. Vietnamese dinner with E; last night in SF.

Day 7: Fly to SD. Climb with L&B at a giant new gym.

Day 8: Hike Mt. Baldy via the “Baldy Bowl” (elev. 10,064′), about 8.4 miles roundtrip, about 3,900′ gain most of it in the last mile up the bowl. Crampons and ice piolets recommended and used. Took a bit more than 4 hours car to car.

Day 9: Run along coast south through La Jolla down to Wind & Sea beaches and back, about an hour. Drive to Joshua Tree & camp under a full moon; hear coyotes yipping.

Day 10: Start day climbing by 07:30 at Hemingway Buttress (east face, right) B leads a hard 5.9 to warm up (‘For Whom the Poodle Tolls’) & then ‘Head Over Heals’. I pull the bolt, sadly no heel hook for me. Go to Lost Horse and climb three pitch ‘Bird on a Wire’. Walked to Jimmy Cliff & climb “The Harder They Fall”, easy 10a, then B solos the ‘Aiguille de Joshua Tree’.

Day 11: It rains in Southern California. Drive to Mammoth. It’s snowing in Mammoth.

Day 13: Drive to Lee Vining. Deep powder still being plowed, we have one pair of snowshoes & poles for 4 people. Hike into Power Plant takes an hour. Hike to ice climbing takes another two hours. Ice climb on far right flow, traverse left above & top rope some WI 3 routes on the Chouinard Wall. Hike back. XL pizza in Bishop. Long drive back to SD.

Day 14: Run from Glider Port down Black’s Beach (aka Naked Man Beach), past Torrey Pines, back up through the preserve, down to the beach, back up final cliff staircase up to the Glider Port. Met with K, discussed logistics.

Day 15: Surf in LJ. Get up on small waves with a nice longboard. The water is cold. Climbing gym again in the evening. Flight back east.